For married couples, "proving paternity" is not much of a process and more of an assumption. For those who are not married, proving paternity can be a difficult legal situation. Some fathers do not want to be tied to their child to avoid parental and financial responsibilities. On the other hand, some mothers do not want their child’s father in their life and will avoid telling the biological father that the child is theirs. Regardless of the situation, proving paternity is important for multiple reasons. Not only should the child know for their own peace of mind, but there are also legal and health benefits. Legally, a child will receive financial support payments as well as social security or veterans’ benefits. A child should also know their father in order to know his medical history. Without this knowledge, it can be easy for a child to contract illnesses that could easily be avoided if they had both parents’ medical history.

How to Prove Paternity Voluntarily

Voluntarily proving paternity is best for both parents. You avoid keeping secrets and/or potential confrontation. The easiest way to do so is for the father to be present at the time of birth. This does require the signing of a declaration of paternity but it does not require any form of DNA testing. If the father is not present at the time of birth, an affidavit is required. This will need to be done before the birth certificate is issued in order for the father’s name to be present on the birth certificate. If his name on the birth certificate is not a concern of both parents, the affidavit deadline extends to anytime before the child’s eighteenth birthday.

How to Prove Paternity Involuntarily

If the father will not voluntarily sign the legal paperwork and you would like your child’s father to be legally recognized, it is crucial to have an experienced attorney who can help. The mother will first sign the affidavit naming the child’s alleged father then try and get in contact with the man. This can be done through investigation if necessary. It is worthwhile to first allow the father to voluntarily establish paternity in the case that he was uninformed about the situation initially. If he still refuses to voluntarily claim paternity, genetic testing is the next step. Both parents and the child will submit to genetic testing to ensure that all parties are linked. Once the results reveal who the father is, the father will be notified within 60 days of testing.

Contact a Kane County Parentage Lawyer for Help

Proving parentage is a stressful time for both parents, especially for cases that are involuntary. The legal process can be tedious and frustrating if you do not have experience in that area. It is important to have a hardworking attorney on your side to ensure that your child’s true parents are known. If you are trying to prove paternity or prove against an accusation that has been made, contact our experienced St. Charles, IL paternity attorneys for a free consultation at 630-584-5550.

Finding out that you are about to become a parent should be a fun and exciting time; however, this is not always the case. For some men, they have to prove that they are the father, rather than being told by their soon-to-be co-parent. Proving that you are or are not the father of a child is a medical and legal process which can be more involved than just going to the doctor. Continue reading to learn more about the process of proving paternity.

The Need to Know

There are many reasons why people will seek to find out the identity of the biological father of a child. Many mothers and potential fathers want to know the child’s father because of the need for monetary and parenting support. If the father and mother are not married, the parent without primary custody, in which case is usually the father, will be required to pay child support. Many mothers also want help from the father in regards to raising their child. Knowing the identity of both parents is also important in regards to health benefits and insurance. The child will be covered by his/her father’s health insurance, social security, inheritance, and veteran’s benefits. It is also crucial to know a father’s identity to have a better understanding of the child’s health background as well as the child’s own sense of identity.

The Procedure

Paternity proceedings are not always filed by the father, but rather can be filed by the father, mother, or child. Many paternity tests are performed without the intervention of the court. If not done voluntarily, a court can mandate for the test to be taken thus making the mother, father, and child all submit to testing. There are multiple types of tests that can be performed including a blood or swab test to collect DNA samples. Funding for the tests depends on the results. If the testing for the father is positive, the man will pay for the test. On the other hand, if the testing for the father is negative, the mother will be responsible for the payment.

Contact an St. Charles, IL Family Lawyer

Though paternity tests are fairly easy and harmless, getting the process moving is not always so simple. It is common to have a refusal to take the paternity test from either party involved. To ensure that you and your child’s rights are met, it is important to have a parentage lawyer on your side. At Shaw Family Law, P.C., we understand the high stakes involved in parentage cases and we have extensive experience in this field of law. Contact our Kane County paternity attorneys at 630-584-5550 for a free consultation regarding your parentage situation.